Device for starting race-horses.



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DEVICE FDH STARTING RACE HURSES.

(Application led Sept. 15, 1898.)

QSheets-Sheet |v (No Model.)

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No. 650,5l4. Pafented'may 29, |900. A. s. MILES a c. J. SPILL. DEVICE FOR STARTING RACE HORSES.

(Application med sept.' 15, 189s.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES:

RN EY w: Nonms Firms co.. vnoau'mo., WASHINGTON. u. c.

` NrrED Strrfriips'N PATENT Felon.

ALFRED S. MILES AND CHARLES J. SPILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSGNORS TO THEMSELVES, AND MICHAEL J. DALY, OF BOLTON, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR STARTING RAC-HORSES.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,514, dated May 29, 1,900. Application mea sepamberis, 189s. serai 110.691,008. (Nomad.)

following, in connection with the accompany# ing drawings, is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Our invention has relation to mechanical appliances for use in connection with racetracks to facilitate the desirable lining up of the horses before starting a race. Appliances of this class are called devices for starting race-horses, and as they have heretofore been constructed they have been difficult to remove from in front of horses at the properl instant, are liable to injure the animals or their riders, compel lthe start to be made from' a permanent line or standstill, and interfere with a view of the track or the spectacle thereon. e

The object of our invention is to provide or produce a device of the general class named which shall be movable in the direction of the track for any desired distance, (thus enabling the animals to start the race while they are in motion,) in which the barrier is capable of instant removal from in front of the line, which will not impede the view of the track after the race is commenced, and which will be easy to construct or locate' and operate, while it will not injure the horses or the riders;

To accomplish all of this and to secure other and further advantages in the matters of construction, operation, and use, our improvements involve certain novel, useful, and peculiar features of invention, as will be herein iirst fully described and then pointed o utin the claims. y

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of our improved device on a .plane at right angles with the race-track, the plane cutting the side rails of the trackand the view showing the barrier down, as when the same is in position for use. Fig. 2 is a corresponding side elevation, but showing the barrier sprung or elevated to liberate the horses and turned into horizontal position to permit an unobstructed view of the race-track. Fig. 3 is a view on a larger' scale,'showing in section and elevation a fragment of one of the movableposts, with a portion of. the barrier and its couplings or carriers in place. Fig. t is a corresponding elevation of a fragment of one of the posts, showing the exterior guides or runways thereon and the slot therein. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section and plan view showing the upper or swiveled coupling'and the manner of mounting it in the post. Fig. 6 is a vertical view in section and elevation, showinga convenient form of latch ortrigger which may be employed to release the barrier at the desired instant. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section and plan view showing the lower coup-v ling and the manner of mounting it on the post.

In all the iigures like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts.

The fences usually found on each side of the race-track will generally afford a sufficient foundation on which to place all the rails that our improved device requires; but if these are not sufficient they may be easily altered or erected, as may be desired.

A and A are upper and lower horizontal members which may be extended to any length. Upon thelower member is a simple track a to receive the truck with which the lower end of the post is supplied, and upon the upper member are two tracks b c, one above and one below, to form the required steadiment. The'post B is stepped in a suitable truck C, in which are grooved Wheels tted to run upon rail a, and this truck has a reasonably-long bearing on its rail to overcome any tendency of the post to tip or ineline in the direction of the rail. The post also passes through or is connectedwith a traveler D, which is supplied with rollers, as d d, for bearing on each side of the two rails b and c, andwhen thus mounted and arranged the post may be easily moved back or forth, always maintaining a proper vertical position. The two posts and their mountings and fittings are similar. metal and are hollow, being conveniently They are preferably of ICO made of tubing of suitable diameter. They sustain the barrier and maintain it stretched entirely across the race-track.

E is the barrier, against which or in close proximity to which the horses heads are to be lined before starting. It is preferably made of rathery open netting, and Vto prevent sag?- ging or disarrangement it is supplied at top and bottom with elastic margins, as e f, which may be rubber cords of sufficient strength. These will yield somewhat when the horses press against the barrier and would give way entirely before doing serious damage to either horse or rider in case of accident.

F F are the lower slidcc'ouplings, a'nd-G`G- the upper slide-couplings, by means of which the barrier is confined to the posts. The

. couplings F slide in ways on the outside of the posts and are so arranged that they may leave these Ways at the proper time, being then free to permit the barrier to be turned to horizontal position. The outside ways are any simple form of guides or strips, as g g, mounted on the posts and overlapping the dovetailed bases of couplings F. Above these ways the posts are slotted, as at h, and the upper slide-couplings G run in the slots, being confined therein by simple blocks, as c', to which they are swiveled, as by a 'pin 7c, which enters a recess in the shank of the coupling. The upper and lower couplings so mounted on and in the posts are connected by rods, as I-I, between each pair, so as to compel them tomove together, and on these rods the barrier is conveniently applied, substantially as indicated. At or near the tops of the posts strong elastic mediums-such as rubber cords I I, which reach down to and are 'connected with the lower couplings-are applied. When the barrier is in position for use, as indicated in Figs. l and 3, the cords I are at theirgreatest tension. As soon as the barrier is released, as will be hereinafter explained, the cords I draw it up suddenly and rather forcibly in a vertical direction until the lower couplings leave the tops of their runways. Then the upper couplings have about reached the tops of the slots in the posts, and the cords I, still under sufficient tension, swing the rods H, and therefore the barrier, to a horizontal position, as in Fig. 2, the Y'swiveled couplings at the top permitting the swinging of the rods. To arrest the rods and the barrier at the horizontal position, the posts may be supplied with any suitable form of stop, as an arm Z, Fig. 2. Being in this position, the barrier will not obstruct the View of the track, which is a very desirable feature.

Each of the lower couplings is supplied with a suitable latch or trigger by which it is held untilthe instant when it is to be released, and then both are released at the same time. Such latch or trigger is indicated in Fig. 6 `at m. p It hooks over the top of the slidecoupling F, but so that it may be easily re'- leased. A suitable electromagnet, as L, may

be conveniently employed in connection with each latch to accomplish the desired releasing. From these the conductors n n are carried to any convenient position for the hand of the starter. The conductors joining the two magnets lead over the poles, so as not to be in the Way of the operation'of the device.

Corresponding graduations, as at o, Fig. 2, are placed on convenient parts of the stationary foundation, inside or outside, or both, or otherwise located so that those on one side may be observed from the other, as a guide for keeping. the barrier square across the aan The barrier being latched down and the horses behind it, it is moved along the rails as rapidly as need be by a man at each post. As soon as' the horses heads are well lined up against the barrier the starter ltouches the button p and gives the word to go. The barrier is instantly drawn up out of the way of the horses and turned to horizontal position for objects before named.

The improved device is simple, not liable to get out of order, and will be found efficient and Well calculated to answer all the purposes IOO ricr, substantially in the manner and for thc purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the barrier, the up; per and lower slide-couplings connected as set forth, the lower couplings sliding in ways outside the posts and the upper couplings being swiveled in the posts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with the barrier mounted and movable on the posts, the elastic cords I operating in connection with the upper and lower couplings, the former being swiveled,

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the latter arranged to leave their ways, and

both connected by rods as H, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the barrier and its upper and lower swiveled and sliding couplings made movable on the posts, the stop l for arresting the barrier at the horizontal position after the lower couplings leave their Ways, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the barrier mounted on the movable posts through the upper and lower swiveled and sliding couplings and supplied with elastic cords for elevating and turning it, latch-triggers for holding the said barrier in working position and for simultaq neously releasing'both ends of it, substantially as set forth.

6. In a device for starting race-horses, the We have hereunto set our hands in the prescombination With the barrier-carriers which ence of two Witnesses. are movable in the direction of the length of 1 the race-track, of the gi'aduations for indi- 5 eating the relative positions of the said carj' riers, substantially as and for the purposes Witnesses: set forth. THEODORE KIENDL,

In testimony that we claim the foregoing FRED C. BEIHL. 

